After a day spent fighting crime in his police uniform, Cole often wears a Superman costume.

He recently joined the nonprofit group Heroes, Cops and Kids, so the new super suit is a necessity.

“When I got it, I was so hyped up that I put it on at work,” he said with a laugh. “I get a lashing from work. Cops are notorious at that — they rib you bad.”

Cole doesn’t care. He and other Dallas police officers and volunteers in the group regularly appear at parades, school assemblies and other events dressed up like superheroes as a way to mentor children, encourage their parents and have a little fun.

Unlike the Dallas Police Department’s official youth operations, all of their work is done off the clock and paid for out of their own pockets. But the goal — keeping kids on the straight and narrow — is the same.

The nonprofit, which hopes to expand its donor base, has lofty ambitions after its biggest year since starting in 2011. Police Chief David Brown said the group has “been a big hit so far.” And the calendar for next year is already filling up.

“Everybody wants to come and take pictures,” said Sgt. Merlin Lofton, who plays Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe. “They think it’s cool for Facebook and everything. And we can use that pathway to make a positive impact on their life.”

Lofton runs the organization’s website, heroescopsandkids.org. He is part of the group’s brain trust along with Officer Ricardo Campbell and Officer Ray McCampbell, also known as Batman and the Green Lantern, respectively.

Campbell and McCampbell, who are close friends, started the group after realizing they shared a love for superheroes and comic books.

Superheroes and cops basically “do the same thing,” McCampbell said. “They fight crime, they come into school to get the bad guy and save the day.”

Before creating the nonprofit, Campbell had transformed a 1995 Chevrolet Camaro he bought for $600 into a fully decked out Batmobile.

Eventually, they walked in costume in a parade. The children’s reactions sold them on the idea of starting a group of super-friends.

McCampbell was already no stranger to performing. He was a musician in the 1980s with The Mac Band, which had a Billboard R&B No. 1 hit called “Roses Are Red” and starred in a McDonald’s Super Bowl ad.

McCampbell and Campbell brought Lofton aboard, as well as Campbell’s wife April — also known as Batgirl. Sharron Christian, a friend who is not an officer, is also part of the team. She usually plays Storm from X-Men.

The group appears at events at schools, shopping malls, hospitals, charity events and more. There were more than 30 events this year.

“We haven’t turned down anyone yet,” Campbell said.

Each individual pays for his or her costume and to participate in the events. Members said they collectively spent about $10,000 out of their own pockets each year. The costumes alone can cost in the thousands.

They prefer paying for the program through donations rather than being sponsored by the police department. A city program would have more limitations, said Campbell, who sprinkles in religious principles and quotes from Scripture while mentoring kids.

They also want to be able to choose their members. Officers known to internal affairs investigators need not apply. “Who wants to have an organization full of knuckleheads?” McCampbell said.

And they like taking the program beyond Dallas city limits.

Their dream is to create a “Hall of Justice,” a boarding house of sorts for wayward kids. They hope to find sponsors to make it a reality.

The officers said they currently mentor about 50 children of all ages.

Campbell said the group tries to push parental involvement and teach parents to be superheroes, too.

And the interaction with parents can help officers with their day job, Lofton said.

“When we don’t wear the police uniform, we’re more accessible to the people who are scared of police,” he said. “And that’s the way we get parents and adults involved in crime fighting.”

The work and planning for the group are done outside their police duties, family time and off-duty security gigs.

“It takes up all your free time — it really does,” Lofton said. “It’s just something you do to make this community a better place to live.”

They said it’s worth it when they see children smile — even in a hospital bed.

“Some of them might be on their last breath, but as soon as you walk into that room, their eyes just light up,” AprilCampbell said. “You would think we’re the real people from the movie because they are just so excited.”

To post a comment, log into your chosen social network and then add your comment below. Your comments are subject to our Terms of Service and the privacy policy and terms of service of your social network. If you do not want to comment with a social network, please consider writing a letter to the editor.